a long time gone

 Because of my cat’s diabetes, for the last three years I have not been away from home overnight more than twice – my cat needed two shots a day.  (If he missed one or two he would have been ok)  I went only away twice during that time and worried the whole time I was away.  Even before the diabetes came along, I would go away for a night or two and worry/think about my cat.

I don’t have to worry any more; my cat died on January 10.  Not of diabetes.

I can go away now, for as long as I like.

I’m going to do something I haven’t done for three years: I going to drive down to Big bear to see my friend Jhni. She is my oldest friend; I’ve known her since I was 15.  I’ll only be away for 4 or 5 nights, but it will be nice to drive my beloved Caliber SXT a long ways on the Interstate.  It’s a familiar route; I have been driving that way for more than twenty years.

I’m curious to see the gas mileage on straight highway driving.  I have seen the instant gas mileage meter read 37 miles a gallon on a flat road at 58 miles an hour.  Heck, I’ve seen it read 78 miles a gallon on the downhill from Mt. Hood.

I know that speed takes away mileage – the difference between the mileage at 65 mph and 58 mph is 3 or 4 miles a gallon, so even though the speed limit is 70 mph in California (and people typically drive nearer 80 mph) I’m going to poke along and get superior gas mileage.

Next week, I going to go.  The forecast for the weather next week, the long-range forecast, looks good – little or no snow in the mountains.  Once I get past Redding in Northern California, I see pulling over and changing out of these long underwear – the temp in Los Angeles was 79 yesterday, and the Central Valley of California is usually warm anyway.

Gah, the last time I did this, I had a stick-shift Caliber, the Blue 08 SE+ I traded on the Black Caliber I have now.  The blue car did not have cruise control – I really wanted that in my car.  The black car is a real cruiser, I think: put it in Drive, set the cruise,  and GO.

Eh, I’m babbling.  A week from now I’ll drive down and see my friend in Big Bear.

*****